Tashkent hosted the fifth meeting of the Ministers of Health of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states chaired by Uzbekistan.
The Minister of Health of Uzbekistan Bekhzod Musaev and the SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming addressed the participants with a welcome speech.
Health minister of China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan or their representatives took part in the meeting.
The meeting featured discussions of mutual efforts to expand opportunities for the use of quality medical services and care coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heads of delegations reported about healthcare system reforms undertaken in their countries. Discussion topics also included the integration of traditional medicine into modern medicine, and the reduction of the risk of non-communicable diseases.
As a result of the dialogue, parties agreed to continue consistent cooperation in a number of areas, such as expanding the access of the population of the SCO member states to quality medical services, developing primary health care and prevention, combating the spread of infectious and non-communicable diseases, early detection and treatment of diseases, and rehabilitation.
The previous meeting took place on June 30, 2021 in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan.
Uzbekistan chairs the SCO in 2021-2022. The next summit of the organization will be held on September 15-16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Currently, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which was established in 2001, includes Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, India and Pakistan as Member States. Iran is preparing for full membership. Observers include Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia.
Sources: UzDaily; KunUz (picture and text); SputnikNews
